Drift release mechanism for presses



1950 c. D. SCHERMULY ErAL' 2,524,431

- DRIFT RELEASE MECHANISM FOR BRESSES Filed May 5 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet- 1 FIG.|

INVENTORS CONRAD DAVID SCHERMULY ALFRED JAMES SCHERMULY CHARLES SCHERMULY Byfheir attorneys 1950 c. D. SCHERMULY ETAL 2,524,431

' DRIFT RELEASE MECHANISM FOR PRESSES Filed May 5, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. CONRAD DAVID SCHERMULY ALFRED JAMES SCHERMULY C LES SCHERMULY By fhei orneys Patented Oct. 3,' 1950 V 7 215 4 81 1 DRIFT RELEASE MECHANISMFQB rnnsses Gonrad David Schermul muly,v and Charles Newdigate, England y, Alfred James Scher- Schermuly, Parkgate,

' -Applic'ation May 5, 1947, Serial No. 745,970 "in Great Britain December 19, 19 l1 This invention relates to drift release mecha nism for presses, more particularly hydraulic presses, and has for its principal object to provide mechanism which is simple in operation and more easily constru hitherto used. I

The present invention consists in drift release mechanism comprising a drift, an axiallybored body member, having apart of the boring tapered, secured to the press head, a gripping member having a tapered surface-which coacts with the first-mentioned taper, inter-engaging means, such as screwthreads, onfthe member,,spring means which tend tohold the gripping member into engagement with thedrift and means for releasing the said gripping member from the said drift against the action'of said spring means. Instead of providing screwthreads on the drift and the gripping member, complementary rings or grooves or other interengaging projections and recesses may be formed thereon.

A convenient form of the invention will hereinafter be described by way of example with refer-v ence to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 shows a section of the mechanism in; the gripping position;

Figure 2 shows a section of the mechanismin the released position;

Figure 3 shows a plan of the mechanism, and- Figure 4 shows a section on the line IV-IV, Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing, I shows a part of the hydraulic press head into which is screwed the ted than the mechanism drift and gripping 6 Claims. (01. 24 263) Screwed into the lower end of the body member 2 is a ring I I provided with an axial boring having clearance with respect to .the drift 6'. This ring 'formsa bearing for the lower ends of springs I2, which 'normally hold the plate Ill from the ring I I and at the same time holdthe divided member I :4 in engagement with the drift 6, V "Secured to the ,upper end of theb ody member 2 is a bracket It to which is' pivoted a bifurcated lever I l havinglugs IS-thereon adaptedto engage the collar 1, ;Pivoted' to the lever I4 is a second lever I6 having a. pawl ll secured thereto which is engaged at theirequireditime, with the recess I8 formed in the body member 2.

In operation, assuming the drift 6 is in thefixed or gripped position as shown in Figure 1,- audit is desired to release the drift, the lever I4 is pressed downwardly and the lever I 6 is allowed to fall so that the pawl Il engages with the recess I8 as body member 2. .The body member is axially bored and a part of the boring is tapered as Arranged within the body mem her is a gripping member 4 which, in the present shown at 3.

instance, is divided into four equal parts 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d, each of the'said parts being united by springs 5 positioned between contiguous surfaces of adjacent parts, which tend to force the parts away from each other. The inner surfaces of the divided member 4 are screw-threaded to enable them to engage the screw thread on the drift 6 when required.

Above the divided member 4 is arranged a collar 7 having a tapered end 8 engaging a taper 9 on the upper end of the member 4. The collar I is free to slide in the body member 2 and, since it has no internal thread, it can also slideon the drift 6. Below the divided member-4 is a, plate shown in Figure 2. When the lever I4 is moved in this manner the lugs I5 engaging with the collar 1 force the said collar downwardly, which in turn forces the divided member 4 downwardly; in addition the springs 5 force the divided portions of the said member 4 outwardly so that the said divided member slides downwardly and outwardly on the taper 3 in the body 2, thus disengaging the threads therein from the threads on the drift 6.

lever I4 is against the springs I2 which are compressed on to the ring I! through the plate I0, so that the mechanism is in the position shown in Figure 2, in which position the drift 6 can be sliclden from the press head I.

a In order to relock the drift 8 in the press head upon the springs 42 automatically return the divided member 4 to the position shown in Figure 1, when the threads therein again engage 1 with thethreads on the drift 6.

In order to prevent twisting of the divided 7 member 4 and the plate IQ when the lever I4 is depressed, suitable guides (not shown) may be provided on the plate Ill which project from the said plate through the ring II. 7

It will be understood that instead of providing Screw threads on the drift and the gripping mem- Ill, also having a tapered'surface adapted to I ber, other interengaging means, such as complementary rings or grooves, may be formed thereon.

Driftjreleasing mechanism in accordance with the present invention is of simple construction, all of the parts being easily formed and assembled, thereby reducing the time required to pro- The aforesaid pressure on thethe drift 6 i placed in the required position, the pawl I I is released from the recess I8 whereduce the mechanism, while at the same time the efliciency of operation is also ensured.

What we claim is:

1. Drift release mechanism comprising a drift, a press head, an axially bored body member secured to the press head and having a part of its boring tapered; a gripping member having an upper surface and a tapered side surface which coacts with the first mentioned taper, interengaging means on the drift and the gripping member, spring means which tend to hold said gripping member in engagement with the drift and means for releasing said gripping member from said drift against the action of said spring means, said releasing means comprising a collar which surrounds said drift and a tapered seating formed on the upper surface of said gripping member, said collar having an end face tapered to coact with said tapered seating.

2. Drift release mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein said end face is tapered inwardly toward the press head and said seating is tapered outwardly and away from the press head.

3. Drift release mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein said releasing means comprises a lever pivotally mounted on said body member, movement of said lever being adapted to force said collar and said gripping member downwardly against said spring means.

4'. Drift release mechanism comprising a drift,

a press head, an axially bored body member secured to said press head and having a part of its boring tapered, a gripping member having a lower surface tapered to form a seating and a tapered side surface which coacts with the tapered boring, spring means which tend to hold said gripping member in engagement with the 4 drift, said spring means comprising a plate surrounding said drift and having a tapered face adapted to coact with said seating on the lower surface of said gripping member and means for releasing said gripping member from said drift against the action of said spring means.

5. Drift release mechanism as claimed in claim 4 wherein the lower surface of said gripping member is tapered outwardly toward the press head and the face of said plate is tapered inwardly away from the press head.

6. Drift release mechanism as claimed in claim 4 wherein said lever is held in the position corresponding to the disengagement of said interengaging means by means of a pawl pivoted to the lever which engages a recess in the body member.

CONRAD DAVID SCHERMULY. ALFRED JAMES SCI-IERMULY. CHARLES SCHERMULY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

